Aurelia Butler

TERENCE CRAWFORD catapulted himself to the top of the mythical pound-for-pound rankings in the eyes of many in 2023.It was the year he finally fought, and beat, long-time rival Errol Spence Jr, and made history in doing so.

As he became the first man to become an undisputed champion in two separate divisions.
Naoya Inoue then replicated the feat on Boxing Day by beating Marlon Tapales to keep the argument of world’s best boxer alive.
Here, SunSport ranks their list of top ten stars in the boxing world.
1. Terence Crawford
Crawford, 36, managed only one fight in 2023 but it was a seismic one that could define his legacy.
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The manner in which he dominated Spence, 33, over nine rounds to capture all four welterweight titles cemented his place as No1 in the world.
Inoue has a strong case to rival Crawford but the Japanese star, in the lower weights, is missing that marquee name value victory.
Terence Crawford is SunSport’s P4P No1Credit: Getty
2. Naoya Inoue
With 26 wins and 23 knockouts, Inoue is among the most exciting fighters in the world.
And, with belts in four divisions, he is no doubt Crawford’s fiercest rival to the P4P throne.
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But, a win over another pound-for-pound rival is what prevents Inoue from topping this list.
Naoya Inoue is among the most exciting fighters in the worldCredit: Getty
3. Oleksandr Usyk
Having reigned as undisputed champ at cruiserweight and unified at heavyweight, Usyk, 36, is also a threat to Crawford’s throne.
And victory over Tyson Fury, 35, in their undisputed decider on February 17 would see the Ukrainian top the lot.
Oleksandr Usyk faces Tyson Fury nextCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
4. Devin Haney
Haney was the fighter of the year in 2023 with victories over Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis.
Beating Lomachenko meant he retained his undisputed lightweight crown before moving up to win the WBC belt from Prograis.
Now a two-weight champ with an ever-improving resume, Haney’s place in the top five was secured.
Devin Haney celebrates defeating Regis Prograis
5. Canelo Alvarez
Once dominating the mythical rankings, defeat to Dmitry Bivol, also 33, left question marks over the Mexican’s standing.
But, since returning to super-middleweight, Canelo has got back on track and beat John Ryder and Jermell Charlo in 2023.
Mega-fights await the 33-year-old boxing legend in 2024 with David Benavidez and a rematch with Bivol touted.
Canelo Alvarez is still boxing’s top attractionCredit: Getty
6. Dmitry Bivol
Bivol endured a frustrating year boxing just once, a routine points win over Britain’s Lyndon Arthur, 32, in Saudi Arabia.
But he has signed to face fellow light-heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev, 38, in another undisputed super-fight.
Victory over Beterbiev would put Bivol is the discussions for pound-for-pound No1.
Dmitry Bivol is known as Canelo Alvarez’s conquerorCredit: Getty
7. Artur Beterbiev
Beterbiev is boxing’s only champion with a 100 per cent KO ratio with all 19 of his wins coming inside the distance.
And he looked to be an unstoppable force until Londoner Anthony Yarde, 32, took the Russian to the wire before losing in round eight.
But equally for Beterbiev, beating Bivol would see him soar the rankings.
Artur Beterbiev is boxing’s only champion with a 100 per cent KO ratioCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
8. Shakur Stevenson
Stevenson is a three-division champion at the age of just 26.
He was recently elevated from interim WBC champ to full after Haney vacated the belt.
And while still unbeaten, Stevenson needs a marquee name to help see him rival the likes of Haney.
Shakur Stevenson is a three-division champion at the age of just 26Credit: Getty
9. Tyson Fury
Reigning as the undefeated heavyweight world champ, it is hard to leave the Gypsy King off the list.
And beating Usyk would be among his greatest ever achievements.
But having fought just once in 2023 – controversially beat MMA star and boxing debutant Francis Ngannou – Fury failed to gain ground in the rankings.
Fury is the unbeaten WBC heavyweight world championCredit: Reuters
10. Anthony Joshua
After knocking out Otto Wallin in Saudi it is fair to say Joshua, 33, is back.
But after Deontay Wilder was beaten on points by Joseph Parker the £100m blockbuster deal with AJ was KO’d.
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Now, Joshua could eye the heavyweight world title again as part of a huge 2024.
Anthony Joshua celebrates victory over Otto WallinCredit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has revealed his prediction for Tyson Fury’s fight with Oleksandr Usyk. The unbeaten champions contest for all four world titles – a first in heavyweight history – on February 17 in Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua celebrating victory over Otto WallinCredit: Reuters
Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: Reuters
And AJ will be a keen viewer having rivalled Fury for years while twice losing to Usyk on points.
Joshua hopes to be ringside in Riyadh for the historic title unification as he revealed his fight prediction.
He told iFL TV: “I really want to be here for that fight.
“You’ve probably heard it a few times, but I think Usyk is a phenomenal fighter and he’s got a great team around him.
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“You’re only as good as your team, and he’s got a really good team.
“And having been in the ring with him and studying him, I think he’s the one to edge it probably because of my experiences of his ring craft – I think it’s top tier.”
Joshua, 34, is coming off a big win in Saudi after stopping Otto Wallin, 32, in five rounds.
But on the same night, Deontay Wilder, 38, was stunned on points by Joseph Parker, 31, to blow his £100m deal to face AJ.
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So now, his promoter Eddie Hearn wants Joshua to target the winner between Fury and Usyk but three other names are also in the mix.
Hearn said: “Right now, we have three fights that we’re in discussions for.
“They’re all big and that doesn’t involve Deontay Wilder for March. Our aim, and they’ve expressed this is to fight the winner of Fury-Usyk.
“That’s all we want to do, obviously there’s the Hrgovic fight out there for the world heavyweight title.
“There’s a Francis Ngannou fight out there which would be absolutely colossal.
“There’s other heavyweights as well, there’s a Zhang fight possible as well with Queensberry.”
Deontay Wilder was beaten by Joseph Parker to blow his bout with AJCredit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has a three-man shortlist for his next fight – but fans only want one name. AJ was set for a March 9 blockbuster against Deontay Wilder until the American blew the £100million deal by losing to Joseph Parker.
Anthony Joshua has a three-man shortlist for his next fightCredit: AFP
So now Joshua has to turn his attention elsewhere and Eddie Hearn wants him to fight the winner between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
But the promoter also named Filip Hrgovic, Zhilei Zhang and Francis Ngannou as alternatives.
Hearn told iFL TV: “Right now, we have three fights that we’re in discussions for.
“They’re all big and that doesn’t involve Deontay Wilder for March. Our aim, and they’ve expressed this is to fight the winner of Fury-Usyk.
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“That’s all we want to do, obviously there’s the Hrgovic fight out there for the world heavyweight title.
“There’s a Francis Ngannou fight out there which would be absolutely colossal.
“There’s other heavyweights as well, there’s a Zhang fight possible as well with Queensberry.”
Fury, 35, and Usyk, 36, are believed to have signed a two-fight deal that could produce a rematch between the pair.
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And it would likely mean the winner would lose the IBF title for being unable to face mandatory challenger Hrgovic, 31.
So Joshua and Hearn are looking to capitalise by facing the Croatian for what would be a vacant title.
Meanwhile ex-UFC champion Ngannou crossed over to boxing in October to make his ring debut against Fury.
And he astonishingly dropped the WBC champ but was controversially beaten on points.
Ngannou, 37, has expressed his interest in remaining in boxing with a rematch against Fury and a Joshua fight touted.
And Zhang, 40, is riding high off consecutive stoppage wins over Joe Joyce, 38.
Following Hearn’s three-man shortlist of opponents fans called for the Hrgovic fight.
One said: “If AJ is serious about a legacy and becoming three time world champion, he stays away from the big money, novelty fight against Ngannou. Hrgovic is the only one that makes boxing sense.”
Another added: “It will be Hrgovic for a title.”
Filip Hrgovic could fight Joshua for the vacant IBF titleCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY has arrived in Saudi Arabia six weeks before he is due to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed crown. Fury faces Usyk in the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt title unification on February 17 in Riyadh.
Tyson Fury has arrived in Saudi Arabia six weeks before he is due to fight Oleksandr Usyk
Fury faces Usyk for the undisputed title in Riyadh
Fury is back in Saudi for the second fight in a row
He was all smiles as he arrived in the Middle East
He began his camp in Morecambe but has now touched down in the Middle East to continue training – much to the delight of his fans.
One said: “He is taking this very seriously. Getting there weeks before the fight to acclimatise to Saudi fully.
“Adjusting to every tiny detail like he is at home. Smart choice.”
Another added: “If he’s there that early he is taking very seriously. Let’s go the gypsy king.”
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One hailed: “Yeah get acclimated early, ain’t no time to be f*****g around.”
Another said: “No question that he’s taking it seriously.”
Fury spent Christmas with wife Paris and his seven kids, but swerved a New Year’s celebration at home to get preparations under way.
He almost suffered a disastrous and embarrassing defeat against ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou, 37, the last time he was in Saudi in October.
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Fury, 35, was dropped by the massive underdog and deemed fortunate to walk away with a controversial win on the scorecards.
He touched down in Saudi only a week before that fight, but things look to be different for the historic unification with Usyk, 36.
His own dad John hit out at his training camp for the Ngannou fight and claimed even now it is a “CIRCUS”.
John even said his son’s training camp showed he was “in decline”, leading to fears he could be outclassed by Usyk.
But Fury’s Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren was quick to speak out in defence of the undefeated WBC champion.
Warren told Boxing Social: “Tyson’s the guy getting in the ring. His dad has obviously got his views. Everybody’s got a view.
“Obviously his dad cares about him but, at the end of the day, Tyson’s getting in the ring and it’s his decision who he has to train him.”
Fury facing off with UsykCredit: Reuters More

CARL FROCH has raised concerns over Tyson Fury and backed Oleksandr Usyk to win their undisputed super-fight. Fury comes into the bout having controversially beaten ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in their crossover clash in October.
Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: Reuters
Former British boxing world champion Carl FrochCredit: AP
He was even dropped by the boxing debutant and had to escape with a split-decision win.
It backdated his unification bout with Usyk from December to February 17 and former super-middleweight champion Froch fears the worst.
He told talkSPORT: “2024 is going to be a fantastic year. Hopefully with a close humdinger with Fury and Usyk.
“I’m picking Usyk for that one, just because of where Tyson Fury is mentally.
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“Hopefully Fury can have a good camp and rekindle some of his old greatness in terms of when he fought Deontay Wilder three times.
“He looked good, he looked different every time. I don’t know, that’s gone now. He struggles to get the weight off him.
“He seems under-motivated. When he fought Ngannou he looked confused. Has he got old overnight?
“Hopefully he turns up and gets the job done, because I want those titles to return to Britain, but at the minute I think Usyk wins that fight.”
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Fury, 35, has now arrived in Riyadh to continue his training to fight Usyk, 36, with just under two months to go.
It comes after his dad John called his camp a “circus” which is “in decline”.
And Fury’s promotional team also refused to rule out a future rematch with Ngannou, 37, after he “took it lightly”.
Francis Ngannou floored Tyson FuryCredit: Getty More